Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Kamus online itu cepat, tetapi saya tetap membawa kamus cetak ke perpustakaan di Jakarta. - That online dictionary is fast, but I still bring a printed dictionary to the library in Jakarta.

Itu is a demonstrative that usually means “that”, but in Indonesian it often works more like “that (specific)” or even like “the” when pointing to something already known in the context.

Kamus online itu cepat
→ That online dictionary is fast / The online dictionary is fast (the one we were talking about).

So:

kamus online = an online dictionary (in general, not specific)
kamus online itu = that particular online dictionary (already known or visible to speaker and listener)

Putting itu after the noun phrase is the normal structure:

buku itu = that book
rumah besar itu = that big house
kamus online itu = that online dictionary

Why is it kamus online and not online kamus? What is the general word order for adjectives in Indonesian?

In Indonesian, describing words usually come after the noun, not before it.

So:

kamus online
literally “dictionary online” → online dictionary
kamus cetak
literally “dictionary printed” → printed dictionary
perpustakaan besar
literally “library big” → big library

This is the opposite of English, where adjectives usually come before the noun.
Pattern: Noun + (adjective / descriptor)

Online here is an English loanword being used like an Indonesian adjective and follows the same placement rule (after the noun): kamus online, not online kamus.

What is the difference between tetapi and tapi? Could I use tapi instead here?

Both tetapi and tapi mean “but”.

tetapi = more formal / neutral (good for writing, speeches, or careful speech)
tapi = more informal / conversational (common in everyday speech, chats, etc.)

In your sentence:

..., tetapi saya tetap membawa .... → grammatically correct and neutral–formal.
You could say ..., tapi saya tetap membawa .... in casual speech or informal writing (texts, social media).

So yes, you can use tapi here, but it will sound more casual.
If you are writing an essay or something formal, tetapi is safer.

What exactly does tetap mean in saya tetap membawa? Is it the same as masih (“still”)?

Tetap and masih can both be translated as “still”, but they have different nuances:

tetap ≈ still / remain / keep on doing, with a sense of “despite something” or “not changing in the face of a reason to change”
masih ≈ still / is still, with a sense of continuing state (no strong contrast)

In your sentence:

... tetapi saya tetap membawa kamus cetak ...
→ ... but I still bring a printed dictionary ... (even though the online one is fast; I’m not changing this habit).

If you said:

saya masih membawa kamus cetak
it sounds more like I still bring a printed dictionary (I haven’t stopped yet), without clearly emphasizing contrast with the first clause.

So tetap here highlights that you continue to do it despite the convenience of the online dictionary.

Could I drop saya and just say ..., tetapi tetap membawa kamus cetak ...?

Yes. Indonesian often drops subject pronouns when the subject is clear from context.

..., tetapi saya tetap membawa kamus cetak ke perpustakaan di Jakarta.
..., tetapi tetap membawa kamus cetak ke perpustakaan di Jakarta. (subject “I” understood)

Both are grammatical. The version with saya:

slightly clearer and more explicit
sometimes feels a bit more formal or careful

The version without saya sounds natural in conversation or when the subject was just mentioned or is obvious.

What is the difference between membawa and bawa? Why is the me- prefix used here?

The root verb is bawa = to bring.
With the meN- prefix, it becomes membawa, which is the standard active verb form.

bawa by itself is:
- used in commands: Bawa kamus itu! = Bring that dictionary!
- used in very casual speech
membawa is:
- the normal active verb form in statements: Saya membawa kamus. = I bring a dictionary.
- more neutral and correct in standard Indonesian

In your sentence:

... saya tetap membawa kamus cetak ...
uses the standard active form and is the natural choice in a neutral sentence.

So:

Root: bawa (bring)
Active (standard): membawa (I/you/he bring(s), etc., depending on subject)

What does kamus cetak mean exactly? Is cetak an adjective like “printed”?

Yes. Cetak comes from mencetak = to print.

In kamus cetak:

kamus = dictionary
cetak = printed (here functioning as an adjective)

So kamus cetak = printed dictionary, usually meaning a physical, paper dictionary as opposed to a digital or online one.

Similar patterns:

buku cetak = printed book
foto cetak = printed photo (on paper)

Why is it ke perpustakaan di Jakarta and not something like ke di perpustakaan Jakarta? How do ke and di work here?

Ke and di are different prepositions:

ke = to / toward (direction, movement)
di = at / in / on (location)

In your sentence:

ke perpustakaan = to the library (movement toward the library)
di Jakarta = in Jakarta (location of the library)

So ke perpustakaan di Jakarta is:

literally: to the library in Jakarta

You do not stack ke and di before the same noun, so × ke di perpustakaan is incorrect.

Other examples:

Saya pergi ke sekolah. = I go to school.
Saya belajar di perpustakaan. = I study in the library.
Saya pergi ke perpustakaan di kampus. = I go to the library on campus.

Does di Jakarta describe where the library is, or where I am when I bring the dictionary?

By default, in ke perpustakaan di Jakarta, di Jakarta most naturally describes the location of the library, not the location of the action.

So it is understood as:

I bring a printed dictionary to *the library that is in Jakarta.*

If you specifically wanted to say when I am in Jakarta, you would usually rearrange or add words for clarity, for example:

Kalau saya di Jakarta, saya tetap membawa kamus cetak ke perpustakaan.
= When I’m in Jakarta, I still bring a printed dictionary to the library.

Why isn’t there any plural marking in kamus online itu or kamus cetak? How do you say “dictionaries”?

Indonesian nouns usually do not change form for plural. Plurality is understood from context.

kamus can mean “dictionary” or “dictionaries” depending on context.
perpustakaan can be “library” or “libraries”.

Ways to show plural more explicitly:

Reduplication (repeating the noun):
- kamus-kamus = dictionaries
Use a number or quantifier:
- tiga kamus = three dictionaries
- banyak kamus = many dictionaries

In your sentence:

kamus online itu clearly refers to one specific online dictionary (because of itu = that).
kamus cetak could be one or more printed dictionaries; context decides. If you really mean multiple:
- saya tetap membawa beberapa kamus cetak = I still bring several printed dictionaries.

Is the comma before tetapi necessary? Can Indonesian use tetapi without a comma?

In writing, it is common and recommended to put a comma before tetapi when it joins two independent clauses:

Kamus online itu cepat, tetapi saya tetap membawa kamus cetak ...

This is similar to English:

The online dictionary is fast, but I still bring a printed dictionary ...

In informal writing (texts, chats), people sometimes skip the comma:

Kamus online itu cepat tetapi saya tetap membawa ...

But in standard / careful writing, the comma is expected because both sides are complete clauses:

[Kamus online itu cepat], [saya tetap membawa kamus cetak ...]

What level of formality does this sentence have? Would it be okay in formal writing?

Your sentence is neutral in formality and is safe in many contexts:

Vocabulary is standard: kamus, online, cepat, tetapi, tetap, membawa, kamus cetak, perpustakaan, di Jakarta.
Grammar is standard: correct use of ke and di, correct verb form membawa, etc.

It would sound fine:

in a school essay,
in a presentation,
in a conversation.

For very formal academic writing, you might adjust style around it, but the sentence itself is acceptable as-is.

Can cepat also mean “soon” or just “fast”? How is it used in Kamus online itu cepat?

Cepat primarily means “fast / quick”.

In Kamus online itu cepat, it means:

That online dictionary is fast (it loads quickly, gives results quickly).

Common uses of cepat:

mobil cepat = fast car
dia lari cepat = he/she runs fast
jawab dengan cepat = answer quickly

For “soon” (in time), Indonesian usually uses:

segera, sebentar lagi, tidak lama lagi, not cepat by itself.

So here, cepat clearly refers to speed, not “soon.”